The Benjamin School

11000 Ellison Wilson Road

North Palm Beach, FL 33408

24 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by student on August 12, 2022

I'm currently in the middle school at Benjamin. The education is pretty good, but not the community. Benjamin may seem like such a loving and accepting community from the outside, but when you actually go there it's not. The teachers are very nice, caring and kind. The students, on the other hand, are super exclusive. Being a girl at this school, it is so hard to make new friends. Everyone is in a clique, and they spread rumors about everyone behind their back. Last year, there was even someone who told people they could only join their group if they had converse shoes. It was so ridiculous! The people here can be so catty, and rumors can be spread about someone as soon as they enter the school. There was even a rumor about a teacher liking another teacher, and it got so weird that the teacher had to talk to the students and tell them to stop spreading the rumor. There are many students who are excluded at this school, and nothing is done about it. Assigned seats?! Everyone just got up as soon as they could to meet up with their little clique, while leaving the others left at the table alone. Some people even turned around in their seats to talk to their fellow clique "members." If you are a boy going to this school, I would say it is pretty easy to make friends. For a girl.... not so much. The school claims that they are very strict about their twelve values, but when excluding happens, nothing is done. It can be very lonely at the school sometimes, feeling like you have no one to talk to because everyone is already in their own friend group. I know that education is very important too, but this school is not very welcoming to new students, especially girls. This school also has NO diversity. It's probably the least diverse school you'll see in a while. The education is good, but there are some parts of it that are definitely not favorable. First of all, you can make corrections to your test after taking it, and get a fair amount of percent back. You can get a better grade than someone who can't do corrections because their grade is higher. The headmaster's honor roll and regular honor roll is filled to the brim every quarter. I feel like the teacher's can sometimes grade easier to please the richer parents so that they don't get mad at the school. Of course Benjamin doesn't want to lose its great source of income. Overall, the Benjamin Middle School is good if you are looking for a good education, but not a welcoming environment for new students.
Submitted by other on August 03, 2022

I attended this school for over 14 years and can honestly say that it was the best experience. Benjamin is truly second to none in college preparedness. It ensured that I was a well-rounded student with experience in the arts, sports, sciences, languages, as well as reading, writing, and math. They promoted morality and character and were always very supportive, especially when you reached out and were open with them. I was so happy with my experience that I sent my own children to The Benjamin School as many people do. Honestly, I think that says the most about the school; the fact that so many alumni either return as faculty and/or parents shows that Benjamin really is a family.
Submitted by other on November 03, 2021

When I went to Benjamin I had a horrible time. All the students were rude and always left out other kids. Also, don’t get me started on the teachers they made me feel like trash and didn’t care if you were being bullied. At least at my new school they care about you. I would not recommend this school it is a horrible atmosphere.
Submitted by parent on May 21, 2018

My son has attended this school for 7 years. We couldn't be happier with his education and the attention they give their students.
Submitted by student on March 27, 2018

I love Benjamin. I couldn't be happier with my choice of attending the Benjamin Upper School. With athletics, academics, and overall strong character, the students are some of the brightest and most well rounded kids in the area. Benjamin has done a great job preparing their students for college and for life.
Submitted by student on June 10, 2017

I've attended Benjamin for 3 years of middle school after moving from NYC & based on my experience here, I think it's safe to say I've seen it all. If you ever dig deeper into anything, you'll eventually find the truth. People assumed I didn't know how to speak English because of my skin color. Faculty members had nice personalities but not all had the ability to teach. The rumors here can spread like a wildfire. I'd be lying if I said my classmates wouldn't judge you based on the number of your followers/points. Despite these factors, I wanted to believe that this school was the perfect school as portrayed. Of course, these may be teen angst issues but my issues have nothing to do with the people around me using "gay" as an insult & students coming up to me & saying,"ching chong". Girls would make fun of my body shape. Boys would occasionally catcall girls. The worst thing was that the teachers knew about this, but most made no effort to do anything. A teacher once asked me if my dad needed a translator right before a conference even though she has never met him before & it was obviously a microaggression based on my race. There are good parts to this place. Talent, athletism, & education are embraced. Your best behavior is expected & the majority of teachers have good teaching methods. Many teachers are supportive & hope the best for you. Some students work hard for what they have achieved. I felt the pace was quick for my first 2 years, which was ok. I began to see that the more your family gives to the school, the better they treat you. The reason why many people avoided punishment was that their family was of upper class. But at the end of the day, no one would apologize. In 8th grade, many of my classmates & I would stay up until 2 for homework & teachers were not kind to us at all. The grading procedures & assignments were messy & teachers did a crummy job of giving assignments. There are still people who vape & send explicit pictures of themselves. I learned to be honest & speak up for what I believed in so I'm writing my brutally honest review of the school. Don't let the private school stereotype fool you. The school would be worth going to if you have an ability to be social, the amount of patience needed, & a family that's willing to donate thousands. As for me, I'm tired of being just another face on their diversity page.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2016

Our family has trusted our 3 children to this beloved school for the past 20 years and have loved each moment. The administrators, teachers and indeed all of the staff are the most caring and nurturing professionals we have had the pleasure of knowing. We call The Benjamin School our family's "home away from home" and truly mean it! TBS provides academic, artistic, athletic and co-curricular opportunities at a university level. All of which are quite unique for an independent school of this size. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin for your vision back in 1960 and to Mr. Goldberg for your leadership today!
Submitted by other on April 28, 2016

My three children have been at the school for over 10 years. It is a well-balanced education that pushes each student to their maximum abilities.
Submitted by student on November 09, 2015

This is a great school to get your education and have a great high school experience. The load of homework varies, but it helps prepare you for college. Not only will you get a good education in classes, but you will also learn about the importance of our honor code and how to live up to it, in addition to learning about character.
Submitted by student on November 08, 2015

I have been attending The Benjamin School since Kindergarten. I am now a Junior in the 11th grade. I believe that this school is preparing me not only for college, but also life when I finish college. I owe who I am now to this school, and I would never think, nor have I ever thought of, going to another school. The teachers really are here to help you, and they genuinely want every one of their students to succeed.
Submitted by student on November 05, 2015

The Benjamin School is a wonderful place for learning, playing sports, participating in the arts, and being yourself. I am challenged everyday by my teachers and I know I am getting a good education by coming to this school. It not only teaches you core curricular subjects, but you also learn about valuable life lessons and you learn about yourself. I suggest to anyone looking at a new school that you should consider Benjamin as an option.
Submitted by student on November 03, 2015

This school prepares you very well for college. I would love to thank several of my teachers for making this school a safe and curious environment.
Submitted by student on November 03, 2015

I came from a different school and it was really easy to adjust to this school.
Submitted by student on October 06, 2015

I am a student at Benjamin and transferred here freshmen year from St. Mark's Episcopal School. I would say throughout my four years here I have grown more as a person than I ever would have thought. The teachers at this school truly want you to succeed and I greatly appreciate how close I am with each one. I realized that it is very important to me for teachers to make an effort to have a relationship with the students. They truly care, not just about the letter grade, but about our well-being. Also, I have been played 9 varsity sports throughout my four years and have had the best experiences. Some of my coaches soon became my mentors and my bond with my teammates is irreplaceable. I feel as though I have a second family at this school and through the different clubs and education, I have allowed my leadership skills to shine. Being the president of a club and having roles in others, I have had the opportunity to bring in different community service projects that I am passionate about. I cannot believe I am already a senior and about to leave for college. But, what I can proudly say is that I will be looking for a college that mirrors my high school.
Submitted by parent on August 28, 2015

First of all I have never written an online review before, but I poured over the reviews on this site and will give my honest feedback. After having my child attend two other well regarded schools in the area I can say without a doubt that Benjamin is by far the best education around. The enthusiasm and warmth of the teachers is second to none. My son was evaluated in the first week of school and is learning reading/ reading comprehension at his skill level in small groups of 2-3 students everyday. The teacher ratio is so great that my son is getting one on one attention and instruction daily. Add in arts/sports/three languages and school spirit....what more could we ask for? I was concerned about snobs but have found that the parents at Benjamin are very welcoming and have many events to get to know each other. The school is expensive but you can feel that the money is well spent to create a 5 star school experience. I went on 3 tours of this school before registering.... the tours do not do this school justice!!
Submitted by parent on June 20, 2014

We left this school after my children had advanced to middle school due to an out of state move. Surprisingly my kids were behind the public school in CT and needed to be tutored! In my opinion the teachers care very much for the students and the head of school cares very much about lip service and fundraising. It is all we ever hear about at every single event! We found the programs relatively strong, except for the Chinese program at the middle school level, which is a complete disaster.
Submitted by other on June 04, 2014

This is truly an amazing school! One of the "best" in South Florida. Amazing administration and teaching staff. If your looking for a true private school education, look no further than this school. They are amazing.
Submitted by other on September 26, 2013

I have been attending the Benjamin school since pre-K and I couldn't even begin to say how happy I am here. I could read and write by the time I was done with pre-k. I also have been taking French and Spanish since first grade, and I can now speak French fluently. I also have played the Clarinet for three years, and the violin for two years. I have been offered the opportunity to take dance class for the first time last year, and enjoyed it very much. I was also a cheerleader for a year, and I am now playing tennis. This school has so many opportunities with the arts program, sports, and academics. I am also taking high school level algebra in 7th grade. For the past two years I have won the school spelling bee and placed 7th at the regional competition. Also at this school I have never witnessed any bullying. There is no racial intolerance, every religion is accepted, and every ethnicity is welcomed. This year a girl moved to my school from Vietnam. I have seen multiple people reach out to her and help her with anything she needs. I am constantly challenged at this school and think that there is no better place to put your children. Overall this is a phenomenal school.
Submitted by parent on August 17, 2013

We drive forty minutes each way for my child to attend Benjamin Middle School and it is well worth every mile and every penny. The school appears financially stable. Admissions testing assures that all students are on the same page academically. That means financial resources can be used toward academic enrichment, the arts and athletics. ALL students are held accountable for their behavior and academic performance (I have not witnessed exceptions to this based on ability to donate). Awards are based on student merit, not on parent donations. The teachers are amazing and I can't imagine the administration allowing any teacher to be bullied by a parent. There are more than enough extracurricular activities for many different interests. My child became much more responsible with homework, and much more organized, after only one year here. Improvement in ERB scores as well!
Submitted by other on August 10, 2013

I attended this school Pre-K through 7th grade. Being a student of color, I was always the odd one out. While I was a student there, I was made fun of for being different because I was not white. Benjamin claims to have an anti-bullying policy but, they actually do not care as long as they're getting your money. The teachers and most of the students were prejudice. They assumed I was ignorant because of my skin color. My teachers would dumb things down for me because of my skin color and not my intelligence. Do not send your child to this school if you are colored. I was miserable there and I don't want anyone else to be treated the way I was treated.